President Lee Meets Winter Olympic Team: "Review Measures for Military Service in Athletes' Village" (Comprehensive)

Luncheon with Winter Olympic Athletes on March 5

"Improving Access so Everyone Can Easily Watch International Competitions"

"Expansion of Facilities and Training Infrastructure"

Athletes Present President Lee with a Team-Signed Taegukgi

First Lady Kim Hyekyung Receives Skates Signed by Choi Minjeong

President Lee Jaemyung announced plans to revise regulations to ensure that everyone can easily watch the Olympics and other international sports events. He also pledged to continuously expand training infrastructure, including facilities for winter sports, to support the development of winter sports. In addition, he instructed his aides to consider measures that would allow winter athletes to serve their military duty by being dispatched to the athletes' village.

Yonhap News Agency

On March 5, President Lee invited the South Korean national team, who participated in the '2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics', to a luncheon at the State Guest House of the Blue House, where he delivered these remarks. In his encouragement speech, President Lee said, "You are the pride of Korea," expressing his gratitude by saying, "Thanks to the athletes, our people were able to find strength and sing of hope even in difficult circumstances." This event was organized as an expression of national gratitude to the South Korean national team, who demonstrated 'challenges beyond limits' at the first Olympic Games held since the launch of the new administration.

The luncheon was attended by more than 100 people, including national athletes and coaches who broke their own records or moved the nation by overcoming personal limits, government officials, heads of sports organizations, and chefs from the catering support center who provided warm meals to the athletes during the competition. Among the attendees were athletes with unique stories, such as Choi Gaon, Korea's first gold medalist in snow events; Choi Minjeong, the most decorated Korean Olympian; Kim Gilli, who was named this year's MVP; and Jung Seunggi, who overcame a spinal injury to compete in the Olympics.

President Lee particularly emphasized, "We will continue to expand training infrastructure, including winter sports facilities, and improve regulations so that everyone in the country can easily watch international competitions." His remarks were interpreted as a response to the controversy over the 'universal viewing rights' sparked by JTBC's exclusive acquisition of Olympic broadcasting rights. On February 24, President Lee had also called for institutional improvements to broadly guarantee public access to international events during a Cabinet meeting.

Following President Lee's encouragement, Choi Gaon from snowboarding and Jung Seunggi from skeleton spoke on behalf of the athletes. Choi stated, "Being an athlete is not just about individual effort, but also about the encouragement from those around us, and even our fellow competitors who work hard alongside us. Rather than standing out alone, I aspire to become an athlete who wields positive influence through both skill and character."

Jung Seunggi, who is scheduled to enlist in May, said, "Winter sports athletes are faced with the reality that, unlike their peers in other sports, they have to pause training to fulfill their military duty because there are no teams for winter sports in the military athletic corps." He requested the President to "establish at least the minimum foundation so that we can continue both our military duty and our mission as national athletes."

Yonhap News Agency

During the subsequent closed luncheon, President Lee asked his aides, "Are you saying that while summer athletes serve in the military athletic corps, there is no such unit for winter athletes?" He then instructed them to "explore measures that would allow athletes to serve in the athletes' village." President Lee also encouraged the athletes to freely share anything they needed while they dined together.

Woosubin, a snowboarder, shared a heartfelt story about her brother, also an athlete, who suffered a serious leg injury while preparing for the Olympics. Her parents had to sell their house to cover the surgery costs, which amounted to hundreds of millions of won. She explained that since ski resorts are in the mountains, helicopter transport is often required in case of injury, leading to extremely high costs, while health insurance coverage is limited. She requested expanded health insurance for injured athletes.

Kim Sucheol, coach of the snowboarding team, pointed out that for snow events, there are no dedicated international-standard slopes or facilities in Korea where athletes can train year-round. As a result, the team incurs substantial time and expenses every year for overseas training. He suggested support for infrastructure, such as air mats, to improve the situation. President Lee listened attentively to the athletes and coaches, at times nodding in agreement and expressing empathy.

Additionally, President Lee reminded the audience that short track speed skaters Kim Gilli and Choi Minjeong are both affiliated with Seongnam City Hall, noting, "I recruited Choi when I was the mayor of Seongnam, and as expected, she has become an outstanding athlete. That was a good decision by Mayor Lee Jaemyung," prompting laughter and applause from the team.

The luncheon featured a Western-style course meal, along with chewy Dubai cookies requested by the athletes. After the meal, there was a commemorative gift exchange: the athletes presented the President and First Lady with a Korean flag and a pair of skates. President Lee received a Taegukgi (Korean flag) signed by the Olympic participants, while First Lady Kim Hye-kyung was given a pair of skates signed by Choi Minjeong, the legendary short track speed skater who recently announced her retirement. President Lee, in turn, gifted the team a set of presidential wristwatches and traditional Korean brass spoons and chopsticks.

Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the Blue House, said, "The idol groups ILLIT and CORTIS performed congratulatory stages, and the athletes enjoyed the show, dancing and singing along. In particular, Kim Gilli, who was sitting next to the President, swayed enthusiastically to the music, drawing attention. The event concluded with commemorative photographs of the President, First Lady, and the national team."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.